Shuo was jolted awake by a tremor just as dawn broke.
It was not the ground shaking wildly like an earthquake, but a muffled rumbling rising from deep underground, pulse after pulse, as though something enormous were turning over beneath them. Even the shelter's wooden poles hummed with the vibration.
He opened his eyes without moving right away, instinctively activating Lightspeed Thinking. The chakra around him was a complete mess, but it was not the violence of battle. It was panic. Everyone's chakra carried that frantic edge, drifting everywhere.
He slowly sat up. Sai was already standing in the doorway with his back to him, his eyes fixed on something outside and his expression grim.
"What happened?" Shuo's voice was still a little hoarse from sleep.
Sai did not turn around, only lifted his chin. "See for yourself."
Shuo pushed himself up and walked over. Following Sai's gaze outside, he froze. There, on the horizon, the moon was still hanging in the sky.
It was broad daylight, and the sun was already up, yet the moon had not faded. It was more than three times its usual size, hanging heavily overhead as though it were about to come crashing down.
"Fuck," he muttered, his heart sinking in an instant.
Neither wasted any more words. They ran toward the temporary Hokage Building.
The streets were full of people. Ninja and villagers alike had their heads tilted back, eyes fixed on that eerie moon. No one spoke. Many people's legs were trembling, and even their breathing had grown quiet.
Tsunade, Minato, Jiraiya, Kakashi, Obito, and Rin were all in the clearing in front of the Hokage Building. Every face was grave, every head raised, every gaze glued to the moon. They did not even notice the two approaching right away.
Panting, Shuo